International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2023 рrint ISSN: 2617-2682; online ISSN: 2707-3637; DOI:10.26697/ijsa EDITORIAL Using of ChatGPT in Psychology Research and Practice Author’s Contribution: A – Study design; Melnyk Yu. B. 1,2 ABDEF B – Data collection; C – Statistical analysis; 1 Kharkiv Regional Public Organization “Culture of Health”, Ukraine D – Data interpretation; 2 Scientific Research Institute KRPOCH, Ukraine E – Manuscript preparation; F – Literature search; Received: 07.07.2023; Accepted: 15.08.2023; Published: 25.12.2023 G – Funds collection Abstract Background and The use of artificial intelligence-based (AI-based) Chatbots in scientific research Aim of Study: and everyday practice is becoming an integral part of most people’s lives. The field of psychology, like many others, has been influenced by artificial intelligence (AI). The aim of the study: to explore the possibilities of using AI-based Chatbots in psychological research and practice. Results: The role of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the scientific research of academics and psychology practitioners was reviewed. The issues of using ChatGPT, which specializes in text, in theoretical research were discussed, as well as the potential applications of AI-based Chatbots in psychological practice. Conclusions: New AI technologies have transformed the scientific research ecosystem. Researchers, who actively use ChatGPT, should do so properly, taking into account the possibilities and limitations of using this toolkit in their research. Borrowing an AI-generated text for a research paper should be considered plagiarism. In addition to the risk to professional reputation, this can have a negative impact on the researcher’s own personal progress. People who do not have access to a qualified professional or who are financially constrained can use ChatGPT in psychological practice. In one way or another, these users must realize that the responsibility for the results and consequences of using such a toolkit rests entirely with them. Keywords: ChatGPT, artificial intelligence, psychology research, psychology practice, possibilities, responsibility Copyright: © 2023 Melnyk Yu. B. Published by Archives of International Journal of Science Annals DOI DOI https://doi.org/10.26697/ijsa.2023.2.0 Conflict of interests: The author declares that there is no conflict of interests Peer review: Double-blind review Source of support: This research did not receive any outside funding or support Information about Melnyk Yuriy Borysovych (Corresponding Author) – https://orcid.org/0000- the author: 0002-8527-4638; ijsa.office@gmail.com; Doctor of Philosophy in Pedagogy, Affiliated Associate Professor; Chairman of Board, Kharkiv Regional Public Organization “Culture of Health” (KRPOCH); Director, Scientific Research Institute KRPOCH, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Introduction Dozens of artificial intelligence-based (AI-based) tools Of particular note is OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which with different specializations for text, photo, video, etc. specializes in text (Large Language Models) and is the are being created every day. AI-based Chatbots are most developed and popular among users today. In the becoming more advanced and their use is growing first two months of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, more than 100 rapidly. million people became its active users. According to 5 International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2023 рrint ISSN: 2617-2682; online ISSN: 2707-3637; DOI:10.26697/ijsa Reuters (Hu, 2023), the analysts note that in the last 20 It is important to note the statement of the Committee of years in the Internet space, it is hard to remember a faster Publication Ethics (COPE). On its website, the growth rate for consumer Internet applications. Committee has published its official position on authorship and the use of AI tools (COPE Council, 2021; Results COPE, 30 January 2023, 13 February 2023, 23 February Let us consider the possibilities of using ChatGPT in 2023; Watson & Stiglic, 2023). Also a number of papers scientific and practical spheres of psychologists’ activity. on using AI for scientific writing (Çalli & Çalli, 2022; Note that if we were asked the specific direct question of Dans, 2019; Dimitriadou & Lanitis, 2023; Farahani, whether ChatGPT could replace the work of a 2023; Singh & Sood, 2022). psychologist, we would answer “no”. ChatGPT or similar The IJSA is a full member of the COPE (COPE, n.d.). chat tools that may be created in the future are not capable The Editorial Board recommends that researchers take of replacing the work of a “live” psychologist. This the issue of quality and use of AI in manuscript writing applies to both scientific and practical areas. Although and text citation seriously (Melnyk & Pypenko, 2021, ChatGPT or other AI tools can be used in academic and 2023). Especially since there will soon be programs that practitioner settings and positively impact the can determine the extent to which AI-based ChatBots are effectiveness of that work. However, they cannot involved in writing a research paper. adequately replace a live expert in the field. The development of programs capable of recognizing Let us consider some arguments that we believe machine-generated text is evidenced by the statement of strengthen this position. researcher Scott Aaronson of the OpenAI Company First, we discuss using ChatGPT for psychological (Hern, 2022). Turnitin has already begun work on research. developing an AI-based text detection tool (Chechitelli, When studying any psychological phenomenon or 2023). So there is a good chance that if you try to pretend writing research papers, we face the problem of to be the author of text written by a ChatBot, you may be reviewing a large number of references. Today, it is detected. actually unnecessary to visit libraries, as most books are Emphasize that the above was an inappropriate digitized and modern academic periodicals are available borrowing of ideas and text written by ChatGPT. This on the Internet (in scientometric databases, repositories does not mean at all that we are strongly against the use and search engines). ChatGPT certainly has access to a of ChatGPT. On the contrary, the use of ChatGPT or lot of this information. Sometimes we do not even realize other AI tools in a research paper is a sign that the it. ChatGPT is also capable of self-selecting relevant researcher is able to use modern methods and tools literature, reviewing it, and drawing conclusions from it. correctly. This is a great temptation for the researcher working To conclude the discussion of the use of ChatGPT in under time constraints. psychological research, I would like to make one more In this way, young researchers had free and unrestricted argument related to the inability of AI to replace the work access to information without having to analyze it of a research psychologist. independently. We did not have that in the not-so-distant We have a reasonable belief that AI or the latest past – when we had to spend all day in libraries, searching modification of ChatGPT will not be able to develop a catalogs for the books we needed, ordering them one by fundamentally new psychological approach or theory. one, and writing citations for our dissertations. This is because ChatGPT’s possibilities will always be However, the benefits that ChatBots give us at first conditioned and connected to the human ability to ask glance come at a price. A researcher who receives a questions. “ready-made conclusion”, even if ChatGPT has At this stage of AI development, it is hard to see how described the algorithm step by step, deprives himself of ChatGPT, for example, could develop and describe the opportunity to touch the primary sources and realize something like a psychoanalytic approach, or how the essence for the formation of certain ideas, ChatGPT could conduct psychoanalytic sessions with psychological concepts, theories and practices. In this humans. Despite the fact that most clients still naively way, the researcher saves time on the one hand, but on believe that this is a fairly simple method of formulating the other hand deprives himself of the opportunity to questions with fairly limited involvement of the develop intellectually by relying entirely on ChatBots for psychoanalyst. the validity of the literature analysis and the conclusions Second, we discuss using ChatGPT for psychological drawn from it. It is quite possible that such actions could practice. jeopardize his professional reputation and certainly will Most people evaluate AI, like any digital product not contribute to his personal growth. (Pypenko, 2019), from the consumer’s point of view. For We emphasize that borrowing other people’s ideas is an some people, technological innovation provokes unacceptable practice that can be equated to plagiarism. technophobia, in some cases even paranoia. This has only Even if these ideas or conclusions are generated by gotten worse with the advent of AI and Chatbots. Such artificial intelligence (AI). people tend to view ChatBot as an evil agent spawned by In general, compliance with ethical principles and computers and the Internet. In addition, there are a standards of academic integrity is an important aspect growing number of people with the exact opposite that may be underestimated, consciously or condition – nomophobia, which is related to the fear and unconsciously, by a researcher using Chatbots. despair of being disconnected from technological 6 International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2023 рrint ISSN: 2617-2682; online ISSN: 2707-3637; DOI:10.26697/ijsa devices. These people prefer communicating with Conclusions gadgets to real human interaction. They become so We are in the early stages of learning about the new addicted to ChatBots that they turn to them for Human-AI System. The dual position, which divides everything. For example, what to talk about with your everything into opposite sides (good and evil), is partner or what to discuss with your manager and what to untenable in the issue of confronting AI and the avoid, what text to use in a personal message or an psychologist’s activity. The possibilities of ChatGPT, official document, etc. like other Chatbots, are conditioned and dependent on the We believe that ChatGPT technology will improve with human ability to ask questions. The transition of the new each passing year. Given today’s realities, we can expect neural networks to dialog mode has allowed ChatGPT to the need for human communication with others to become an effective tool for scientists and interesting for steadily decrease. a wide range of users. ChatGPT, like any other AI-based However, no matter how much the developers improve Chatbot, is not capable of replacing a real psychologist. ChatGPT, it will never become the owner of a human It should be considered a valuable resource for soul. information handling, call analysis, scheduling, and in In this context, it is appropriate to recall Carl Jung’s some other cases. position. Over a hundred years ago, he pointed out the Humanity should learn to harness the potential of AI for importance of learning theories and techniques, but these the common good, both for people and for the should be set aside when touching the miracle of the development of new technologies. At the same time, the living soul (Jung, 1928). questions of responsibility and ethics of these Psychology is a special field of human activity that deals relationships should become issues of principle. This will with the human soul. Even if the psychologist uses enable the harmonious coexistence and sustainable certain tools and technologies, it is still communication development of psychological theory and practice in the that takes place in a person-to-person system. future. Today we can see the emergence of a new system – the “Human-AI System”. This term was suggested by Acknowledgments Melnyk and Pypenko (2023). Human-AI System is a I would like to thank Dr. Iryna Pypenko, who has been complicated dynamic complex of interactions between extremely supportive throughout the process of writing living and non-living matter, is an accumulation of this paper, from reading early drafts to its publication in coordinated, interdependent and interconnected the Journal. informational-technological actions of human and AI, oriented to learn from the information obtained, designed Funding Source to effectively perform tasks and achieve goals (Melnyk This research did not receive any outside funding or & Pypenko, 2023, p. 7). support. The views expressed in this Editorial are based on more than twenty years of experience in studying the use of References psychotechnology. In 2002 I justified and introduced the Çalli, B. A., & Çalli, L. (2022). Understanding the term “psychotechnologies” into the scientific circulation, utilization of artificial intelligence and robotics in developed and began to teach the author’s course the service sector. In S. B. Kahyaoğlu (Eds.), The “Fundamentals of Psychotechnologies” at the National Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Governance, Pedagogical University (Melnyk, 2011). I have also had Economics and Finance: Vol. 2. Accounting, extensive practice in public schools, high schools, and Finance, Sustainability, Governance & Fraud: universities working with children and adolescents, as Theory and Application (pp. 243–263). Springer. well as a private counseling practice for adults. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8997-0_14 Whenever I started to tell students about this or that Chechitelli, A. (2023, January 13). Sneak preview of psychological approach, theory, technique, and method, Turnitin’s AI writing and ChatGPT detection I always tried to convey to them the main idea – the capability. Turnitin. indispensable role of the psychotherapeutic relationship https://www.turnitin.com/blog/sneak-preview-of- between therapist and client. In this sense, Irvin Yalom’s turnitins-ai-writing-and-chatgpt-detection- words, “It’s the relationship that heals” (Yalom, 2012, capability p.112), can be considered prophetic. COPE. (2023, January 30). Artificial intelligence in the Today, few would argue that computerized testing and news. the resulting recommendations can be as effective as https://publicationethics.org/news/artificial- direct communication with a “live” psychologist. intelligence-news However, such areas of activity of a practical COPE. (2023, February 13). Authorship and AI tools. psychologist as counseling, correctional-developmental, COPE position statement. psychoprophylactic work should be carried out directly https://publicationethics.org/cope-position- with personal contact. statements/ai-author The resurgence of client requests for face-to-face COPE. (2023, February 23). Artificial intelligence and counseling after the lifting of the COVID restrictions that authorship. caused psychologists to switch to online counseling will https://publicationethics.org/news/artificial- be an additional argument. intelligence-and-authorship 7 International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2023 рrint ISSN: 2617-2682; online ISSN: 2707-3637; DOI:10.26697/ijsa COPE Council. (2021, September). COPE Discussion Ltd. https://s3.us-west- document: Artificial intelligence (AI) in decision 1.wasabisys.com/luminist/EB/I-J-K/Jung%20- making – English. %20Contributions%20to%20Analytical%20Psyc https://doi.org/10.24318/9kvAgrnJ hology.pdf COPE. (n. d.). International Journal of Science Annals Melnyk, Yu. B. (2011). Osnovy psykhotekhnolohii [COPE Members page]. COPE. Retrieved March [Fundamentals of Psychotechnology]. KhNPU. 17, 2023, from https://doi.org/10.26697/melnyk.yu.1.2011 https://publicationethics.org/members/internation Melnyk, Yu. B., & Pypenko, I. S. (2021). Dilemma: al-journal-science-annals Quality or quantity in scientific periodical Dans, E. (2019, February 6). Meet Bertie, Heliograf and publishing. International Journal of Science Cyborg, the new journalists on the block. Forbes. Annals, 4(2), 5–7. https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2019/ https://doi.org/10.26697/ijsa.2021.2.1 02/06/meet-bertie-heliograf-and-cyborg-the-new- Melnyk, Yu. B., & Pypenko, I. S. (2023). The legitimacy journalists-on-the-block/?sh=416c2163138d of artificial intelligence and the role of ChatBots Dimitriadou, E., & Lanitis, A. (2023). A critical in scientific publications. International Journal of evaluation, challenges, and future perspectives of Science Annals, 6(1), 5–10. using artificial intelligence and emerging https://doi.org/10.26697/ijsa.2023.1.1 technologies in smart classrooms. Smart Learning Pypenko, I. S. (2019). Digital product: The essence of the Environments, 10, 12. concept and scopes. International Journal of https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-023-00231-3 Education and Science, 2(4), 56. Farahani, M. S. (2023). Applications of artificial https://doi.org/10.26697/ijes.2019.4.41 intelligence in social science issues: a case study Singh, R., & Sood, M. (2022). An introductory note on on predicting population change. Journal of the the pros and cons of using artificial intelligence Knowledge Economy. for cybersecurity. In D. Gupta, A. Khanna, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01270-4 S. Bhattacharyya, A. E. Hassanien, S. Anand, Hern, A. (2022, December 31). AI-assisted plagiarism? A. Jaiswal (Eds.), International Conference on ChatGPT bot says it has an answer for that. The Innovative Computing and Communications: Vol. Guardian. 471. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems (pp. https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2022/de 337-348). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978- c/31/ai-assisted-plagiarism-chatgpt-bot-says-it- 981-19-2535-1_26 has-an-answer-for-that Watson, R., & Stiglic, G. (2023, February 23). Guest Hu, K. (2023, February 2). ChatGPT sets record for editorial: The challenge of AI chatbots for journal fastest-growing user base – Analyst note. Reuters. editors. https://www.reuters.com/technology/chatgpt- https://publicationethics.org/news/challenge-ai- sets-record-fastest-growing-user-base-analyst- chatbots-journal-editors note-2023-02-01/ Yalom, I. D. (2012). Love’s executioner and other tales Jung, C. G. (1928). Contributions to analytical of psychotherapy. (2nd ed.). Basic Books. psychology (H. G. Baynes & C. F. Baynes, https://worldcat.org/title/1101258271 Trans.). Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co., Cite this article as: Melnyk, Yu. B. (2023). Using of ChatGPT in psychology research and practice. International Journal of Science Annals, 6(1), 5–8. https://doi.org/10.26697/ijsa.2023.2.0 The electronic version of this article is complete. It can be found online in the IJSA Archive https://ijsa.culturehealth.org/en/arhiv This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en). 8